Tractor-belt drive



l April 14, 1931.

M. 1 BAYARD E1' AL 1,800,979

TRACTOR BELT DRIVE Filed Feb. 1G. 1927 1 SSheets-Sheet l y@ IVENTORuM/w? l. In"

April 14, 1931. M. 1 BAYARD ET AL TRACTOR BELT DRI VE Filed Feb. 16,1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 APY 14, 1931 M. L.. BAYARD ETAL 1,800,979

TRACTOR BELT DRIVE Filed Feb. 16, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ba N Sul t \D sma i 6? \\\l\\ j? T l Mi l m j Q m M gg k I N l r3 t? n m 'i R g t, i i

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Q N Il o 0F o o 1- x w@ I3? d.: & sb "E T (f h go Q 'Q i I o o I! llLl ll 'L d m nl 'n "K |l| l l' l x l l ln u LTL- Patented Apr. 14, 1931UNITED STATES rivrfizNf'i ori-"rica MORRIS L. "BAYARD AND MINOR HARVEY,`0F 4PHILADEIiPlH-IA, PENNSYLVNIA, AS-

sIeNons To THE nLAIs'DELL FILTRATION ooivifriinmornnw Youn, l`n. Y., ificon.

roRA'rIoN oF DELAWARE Y `Tnriorora-inner DRIVE 1 /ApplicatoiiiledFebruary. 16, 1927'.` SeralNo. 168,437.

This `invention relates broadly to filter cleaning machinery and moreparticularly to a track laying belt-tread drive for tractors,

M the main object beingto produce a positively l driven belt-tread foratrae-tor sand Washer.

It has been proposed to produce a belt-tread for tractorsandWasliersivlierein the belt was.

l Thepresent invention seeks tooverconie this difficultyhy providing afriction groove and friction lugs registering therein so that a belt,`when it stretches after use,inay be tight- `register v`and affordItraction between each other under all conditions.

Aiiiain object of tlieiiivention is to produ ce a positive belt-treaddrive for tractor sand- 39 ltelDthe filter `hedsliine out of thegfrictiondrive iiieaiis'inithe Wheeland belt.

il.furtherobjectiis to produceaii adjustable i helttread` driveforinotor driven tractor sand Washers -for 'use `iu connectionl Withcleaning lilter beds so that the machine may beipositively driven or.propelled overthe rslinie and softlniud deposit `on afilter bedsurface. To

thseiid and foiytliese purposes, We provide Agroove and wedge-.blockdriver a 1 c o opera ting having `adjustiiient means to vary or regulatethe` degree of friction imposed betvveenthe `groove and boltivedge-blocl g and `We also provide a belt tension adjustinentby whichthe belt .is tightened or loosened to varyor 5 regulate the pressureimposed on the Wedgeblocltoseat tliein in the adjustable frictiongroove. These tivo adjustments cooperate to afford effective means inproperly regulating the friction-drive when the machine is first vset upand are `resorted 'to for readjustment cned and the cooperating`friction groove and,` `friction lugs carried Withithe belt continue to`fromtiine to ,time to maintain the frictiondrive iiiproper Workingtrim. y

In some sand Washing machines for cleaningfilterheds, iiioto'r `driventractor sand Washersincluding a belt-tread drive are used `to propel thesand cleaning appliances `or sand stirring water `ejer-,ting nozzle-teeth through the sandto extract or` Wash the mud vand silttherefroinordinarily collected in the operation of filtering Water for `publicuse. A substantial amount of power and ground traction.isii'equired toforce the vsand cleaning `teeth thru tliefpacked Wall of sand andsoconsiderable dii'liculty is Inetvvith by reason of fthe fact that theniud `over which the machine i travels is soft and thoroughly 1 dilutedwith Water and contains a gelatinous matter so that it fornis'alubricating medium` tending to malte the drive wheels slip iii thebelt-tread, but ourinventioii overcomes that difficulty. Thethin slimeand gelatinous iuatter acts as alubricant and would very soon Work itsvvay in betweeiithe face ofthe drive Wheel and belt and `it would verysoon become difficult to' secure traction between the drive ivlieel andbelt if it were not `for the fact that We provideagainst thatdifficulty. Hereto- Vfore .they'vvheels slippedin the belt therebycausing the belt to remain stationary on the mud surface thus failing topropel the sand Washing teeth through the solidvpacked sand Wall belowthe mud iilin, but this frictiondrive positive to-propel the belt. y

Washing sand in position under the slime la er and under Water Withoutrelnovii'ig the Water from the filter bed `and Without undulydisturbingthe sand is adillicultiinder.- taking since the machine:rest-sonithe sliine layerhut Works in the iliard packed sandtherebeneatlr `In ythis invention We have fiiia`lly attained a drvethatwill propel the sand Washing Water ejecting teeth `thru the solid sandbed for Wall beneath the slime layer. p

It is desirable, iiifsaiid Washing machines working over afsliine ruudfsuiface'to employ a smooth andsolid or continuous surface belt toprevent entry of sliine tothe `s"uiifaceo`f the Wheels `and also toafford a `substantially fifi which have been touched upon as above,ythis invention includes among other things in'- strunientalities to gaintraction' between a driven wheel and the inside face of the belt withoutresorting to a tooth and' chain-'like drive, and in avoiding thatconstruction no difficulty is encountered by wayof non-reg-l i isteringteeth such as isencountered in a belt drive in the form of chain-likemeans when the belt is readjusted by 'tightening it. v

vIt is also an object to produce a friction driven belt-tread whichtracksor pulls from either end of the machine. For this purpose amechanical transmission, such as a chain and* sprocket set, is sometimesused ment andaid the friction-drive. The chainV drive connects the two,spaced wheels over .1; which the belt-tread rolls so that regardless tosuppleoi whether the sand washer travels ahead or backs up, the resultVis an initial tractive`V effort applied to that end or" the' washerwhich is ahead.V Furthermore the chain drive is anV aid in turning sincethe washer turns iii its own length by twisting about which is etlectedby slowing up or stopping one belttread and propelling from yVith theabove and other objects in view the invention has relation to anexample; oi

lconstruction Vshown in the accompanying Y drawings iii which theprinciple'of our invention is illustrated.`

. Figure' l is a general side'clevation of a tractor carriage or ruiminggear embodying the invention, i. e. including the novel tractor drivemechanism.

Figure 2 shows a general plan view ottone side of the` machine, i. e.one belt-tread and wheel unit, the companion unit or other similai`sidebeing removed. il part of the machine is in plan section to disclosethe axle and drive means. f

Figure 3 illustrates an end view, saythe front end, (the right side ofFigure l) of the entire tractor carriage, i. efthe two belt-tread unitsdisposed Vin spaced relation. YThe right side of Figure .3 is across-section talren Von the lines 34-3 of Figure l `while the left sideis a front elevation. rThe upper portion ofthe right side is across-section thro ugh the =.wheel but kthe Vlower portion is across-section taken to therear of the wheel.

Figure l shows. a planv view oa lengthwise fragment of the beltwithseveral ,driv-` ing cleatbars carrying the lugs orwedgeu* blocksanchored thereto, the surface of theV the otherfbelt, the latter beingplaced undeiniore strain or .ten-

sion at this time is aided by the' chain drive f transmission. i i

belt shown being that side whichrests'upon the'y ground or. slime andmud surface of a filter bed over which the tractor crawls.

Figure 5 illustrates-anA enlarged fragmeiitary outer plan iview of the.'belt also showing thesame side as iiiFigureA.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of the other against a drive Wheel. *i .Y

Figure 7 shows a transverse VVsectionf of the belt taken on tliefline7-7 of'Figure 4 through one ont the cleat bar treads and fric tion drivewedge-blocks. n'

' Figure 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the belt talren'onlthe line 8 8 of Figure't, showing vpart of the V'b'elt'in edge felevation, and a part in longitudinal'section.v

The foregoing beltviews emphasize the fact that the belt holes, throughwhich the wedge-blocks project, are in fact.v closed by thewedge-blo'ckssothat slime may' not be pumpedor forced intothe belt through theseholes as the machine crawls over a'water covered slime layer resting on'the sand bed."

Figure 9. is an enlarged fragmentary detail ofl the ad]ace'nty portionsof' adrive wheel preferably made in two sections including a isincreased or decreased betvs'feenV the' ldrivriiigwheel and belt treadas already `suggested aso'ne of the features of the invention.l Unlikethe usual fofrin oftractor,y which VVtravels over the' ground', thepresent tractor is designed to crawlupon and propelffitself 'over a softmud or silt bedcoinpo'sed ot'v line dirt and gelatin'ous lmatter'whichis known Varound filtration plants as schmutzdecke.V Y Thisgelatinous'mass over which a tractor )sand washer mustoperatepresents'manydif- `iicultie's because its tendency'is to"worlritsl way in between the drive fwheels and inside of the beltthereby lubricating the wheelland belt surfaces causingthe wheel to slipin the belt and lfailure-0fl the tractor to propel itself.` l Y Thepresent f invention overcomes the 'gdiiculties'and alfords a positivevpropulsion inv the way of a track laying drive for trac-V tors which-isdurable and efficient, f As already mentioned`,Figure 3 V"shows a frontkview of the tractor carriage comprisjing two'main belt tread units,-i.e.; bothsides Vof the machine, but in describing an exam-'ple of theinvention,l reference is 'more particu-V larly had to oneof theunits,sincethe. two sides of the'tractor'carria'gef are the same Vinconstruction exceptfforthe provision lof the 1 Carriage'. V0r at the"otherwefndv a long axle" 4at'vone end of chassis and twojshortlaxles aswill be described. ,Y A rectangular steel and 13,is provided. 'Insideparallel frame `friction-drive v'groove therebetween with means toadjust the distance betweenthe. wheel sections land hence the width ofthe lfriction groove by;which the tractive leffort v frame, .comprisingend l .pieceslO andl ll and outside Yf rain'ejpieces 12 `income pieceslll complete the main frame chassis or carriage structure and one belttreadldrive pieces 12 and 111 while another unit" is disposed betweenthe frame pieces 14 and 13. This `main frame also carriesthe `engine andother parts not relatedto this belt-tread imi provement and which aretlierefore'omitted. Alongaxle 17 at one end oi the carriage frameruns"transversely of the outer frame pieces 12 and 18 and is anchored bya nut l18 on each end oi:l the axle,fthus securely `liking the axle 17in the frame. kThe one axle 17 therefore carries both tractor wheelsatoneend ofthe carriage. Apair of shorter axles 19 are carried in theother' end of the `frame,

lthe ends oftheaxles 19 being slidably confined in slots 21 in the frame12-14 for move ment and adjustment in relation to the frame. Adjustabledraw rods 22 have their inner ends formed with `an eye 23disposed upontheendsiof each `axle 19 `and atnut 20 secures each draw rod to therespective axles 19. passed through the end frame piece and are providedwith an adjusting nut 24 by which the axle 19 ina-y be adjusted back andforth in the slots 21 and maintained parallel to the irst namednon-adjustable axle 17 and so as to adjust the tension on a belt treadto be described and to thereby regulate the pressure imposed on thefriction wedge-blocks to seat them in a friction groove to be de-Ascribed.

Atractor drive wheel 27 is inountedto roll on each axle 17 and 19between the frame unit 12-14c`and frame unit 13e-111. Each i All A(El)drive wheel comprises spacedvvheel sections 27,'the inner adjacent edgesof `which deiine a friction drive groove 3() formed centrally a roundeach wheel 27. The inner edge of each wheel section may be lined orreinforced by a ring 28. Each ring 28 has an angularly :toi-med lange'29disposed at an angle to the vertical or wheel radius lthereby defining`the friction drive groove including inwardly diverging walls 29 thusforming a V `shaped I wedge-block friction `drive groove 30 whicli isadjustable for width as Willbe described. The groove flange 29 isofmetal thereby affording a metal to `metal friction grip as will beexplained. i i

Bolts 31 carrying spacing means such as a erruleorwashers or'shim means32 hold the wheel sections 27 in rigidly spaced relation to deline thefriction groove 30. The spacing means 321nay to advantage be formed ofwashers 32 having diil'erent thicknesses so that by selectionof theVproper thickness washers, the width of the V-shapedgroove 30 may beadjusted. Theadjustinent ol the width-of groove 30 may be eilectedby`removing a washer` 32 or `inserting washers between the two wheelsections on "the bolt 31 i so as toproplerly adjust the space drelationiThe `outer end of the draw rods 22 are of the two wheel sections 27. A`ferrule may l j be used betweenthe wheel section illanges 29` unit is`mounted between the parallel rframe if'tlie adjustment washers `32 arenot desired. Each wheel `section 27 is provided `with `a suitable `huband spokestructure 33 by which `the wheel sections are lixediiby a keyBlor" other ymeans upon fa hollowdrive shaft 35. A drive tube shaft 35rotatesfupon a paiiwof bushings carried on each end j of` both of theaxles17 and 19. j j

`.Suitable drive transmission means conneet `,the two drive wheels 27 ateach end of thecarriage within the respective `frame units l2-14 and18-145iso they may uniformly driveand pull together. To this endl.. :theaxle17 andeachaxle 19 carry a sprock-H et 39 fixed yon the drive tubes35 1and achain Lloltravels on-the two respective sprockets 39 drive tube35 to drive the chain lOlandboth wheels27. Any suitable motor means Mand transmission T, `asin Figure lrdiagraininat* `ically,may be employedto drivetlie tractor by -direct connection with the sprocket 41.

In this way, `the `motor M drivesflthrough sprocket l1 to both otthehollowshafts 35 to, "thereby positively drive the' two wheels`mounted in `the'iespectivetractor` `iframe units to both drive wheels27 vat `each end of each frame unit so 'that four traction `wheelsfareemployed.

Atracter belt-tread'il'rliis mountedito'travel onthetwo spacedtractor`wheels 217, the `belt `being suliicientlyavide to spanbotli sections 27forming one wheel. The ibeltis rinadeof anysuitable flexibleimaterlal,as forexainple.

rubberized fabric, andthe tension oi tlie'belt may be adjusted byrunning vthe nuts 24 up on the draw rods 22 to longitudinally slide `therespective axles 19 in ytheyjfraine. The belt lll carries `a :pluralityofttraction :cleatv` `bars 45r secured to ithe outside tbereoiasbybolts` 16. A perforationji47 is formed throughthe belt -forthereceptionof a 4friction wedge-block lug or friction drive tooth 48adapted to frictionally engageitlie tric?` tion drive groove 30 in thewheel 27. The wheel groove 30 is adjusted to receive theV-shapedwedge-block48 so that this wedge drive block andfwedge-groovelit tightly together with suificient `friction .to prevent .Slip-g ,pingmovement relatively between Vthe belt :and the wheels.` `The tractionvcleat bars 45 are suitably `spaced apart jand .include upstanding ribswhich crawl in 'the =mudtsur #face o'tthe filter bed to establish.drivingI traction "therewith, f Thecleat-bars 45 extend across itlie`belt from edge `to edge fthereof.

'The ibelt iperforations 47 are preferably vulcanized iorisefaled withfarubberlm 51 so *as to `prevent the ingress of Water into the iao `inside fabric core 52 of the belt 44. Inthis way the belt issealed'againstmoisture at the point whereV the V `wedge-block 48projectsV through thebelt and the belt is made durabley despite theperforations madev therein. I What is of furtherximportance is thatthebelt per'- yforations47 fare vclosed bythe spread of the 1 cleat bar45 and wedge-block 48 as indicated of the lower portion of thebelt'ebetween the' two drive wheels 27 in the respective frame units.vThev rollers 55 are carried on axles 56 anchored at 'each end to sidevplates 57 and plates 58 carry the weight of the machine and pass throughcentral plates 58. The outer' plates 57 aid in preventing accumulationof mud on the inside working' surface of the Vbelt'and extend from endto end'l of the carriage frame to strengthen the construction thereof. YThere is provided one row'of rollers foreach wheel section 27. 'In thisway two rollers 55 are carried upon one axle 56, thel rollers beingspaced-"apart bythe inner frame'plates 58 so as to` afford free passageof the wedgev drive blocks 48 between Vthe rollers 55. The parallelmudf'guard fframeplates 57 and inside roller supporting evenlydistribute it-to the rollers 55 thereby holdingthe belt straight andflat upon the surface'over which the carriage travels.

The lower' edges of the mudl guardplates;

57 are disposed proximate the-'belt-tread edges. In ffact the loweredges' of the mud guards extend belowtheuppersurface of the 'belt-treadand are carefully positioned 'in a plane just short of touching themudsur- Y. face. ;This.arrangement prevents the slime edges.

from squeezingjinand running over the belt edge to 'any objectionabledegree. Especially inv turning, the :mud guard plates57` prevent theslime from pouring over the lbelt While `the cooperating 'frictionwedgeblockv48 and friction drive groove 30 guide vthe belt in continuousmovement uponthe'- drive wheels 27, the wedge-block and groovel v alsoand moreparticularly act to positively dri-ve the flexible belt-treadfromthe ywheels despite the fact that some mud and silt, which Vhas softgelatinous lubricating Vmatter there in, may work in-'a'nd tend to'cause thewheels l27 to slip'- in the belt. The tension of the belt andvthe weight offthe machine force the friction. V-shaped vwedge-'blocks48 into ltight engagement andV bottoms them within Vtransmission 39-40..

.blocks 48 inthe wheel proper'degree of friction, while'thewasherspacer'adjustment 32is employed to regulate the Vi-.shaped frictiondrive grooveand since lthere are a number :ofwedge-blocks 48simultaneously engaging the vgroove 30,`it,f o1 1 lows thatvahighly.eiicienttractive effortl is attained between each Wheel 27 andeachend.

o'f: the" belt so that lthe belt.V is'driven from each'end by' reason ofthe chain and sprocket In `view of thefa'ct that 'propelling a trac-"tor through thesoft gelatinousmatter or i1m17-5 j which prevails on thesurface of a filter `bed constitutes a special engineering problem initself, we vhave sought in this invention to propel'the belt ateachendvand itisfound highly eiiicientoin practicekTo propel the belt from.each/end' thereof, the chain Vvand sprocket transmission is arrangedjtouniformly drive the: front and rearvwheel'sover @which the wedges ftrackinf. theA grooves of the? wheels. In turning, the sprocket andchain transmission" 1s V of speclal .service and Vcarries a largemeasureof the excess driving strainimposed on thel moving parts. lFurtherrnore,the tractorruns equally 'well in either direction because it pulls from-either and both ends. f

In service and after considerable use, a certain amount of filter jellyand mud may travel withzthe belt between it and the face of the wheelbut that matters not since the traction to drive theybelt is notdependent upon Vcontact ofthe inner belt surface upon and AWith 'the'wheel facejbut depends .more particularly upon the metal toy metalcontact Y ybetweenthe wheel grooves 30 Aandglug.-blocks 48.V In this waythere is provided a rubber and Vfabric belttread but'at the-Sametime`there is a hard metallic unyieldingsurfa'ce as faras theY tractionelements are concerned. It may be true `that in the riorart there existtractor belt drives, but there thetraction is in: this improvementtractionY is had through tion of the belt surfaceupon thewheel facemore, o ur belt-'tread presents afsolid sur-face to restupon'the filterbed surface and'thereby reduces-,to a minimum the weight per square unitsurface restingzon the ilterbed.

The combination twoelem'ent adjustment maintains' the belttre'adinpositive. driving iosf between the belt surface and .wheel whereaslinstrumentalities carried with the belt and propulsion of thisbeltisnot eifected by fricno but otherwise as vfully explained.Furthercondition. Tension-is applied to thebelt vby thedraw rods 22 toseat and bottom Vthelwedgegrooves 3()l underfr the the depth in' whichthe wedge-blocks are seated. Since the cleat bars .45 Vextend across thebelt, it follows;Y that the pressure exertedy on the belt is infactreceivedby the cleat bars and .thel strain orpressure which forcesthe? wedge-blocks intojthe friction groove, is in fact largelyremovedfrom the belt.v

The Wedge-blocks or drive teeth 48 are carried with the bars 45 betweenthe ends thereof and each bar 45 reaches across the belt from side toside and the bars are anchored to the belt at several points as bybolts, rivets or other suitable means. The Wedge-block 48 necessarilyrequires to be forced into the V- shaped groove or to be bottomed orseated therein and also to be pulled out of the grooves. In View of thefact that the bar 45 ,is anchored to the belt all the Way across theface thereof, the pressure or tension across the entire belt istransmitted through the bar to the Wedge-block preferably mountedcentrally thereof so as to impose the necessary pressure on theWedge-block to seat it Ain the groove 30 and to remove it thereform asthe respective wedgeblocks leave one wheel and start toward the other.

That We claim is l. A belt tread for tractors comprising, an

` endless fabric-like belt provided with perforations, cleat barsanchored to the belt, and a V-shaped friction block carried by eachcleat bar and extending through each perforation.

2. A belt tread comprising, a belt provided with a row of alignedperfor-ations formed centrally therein throughout the belt, a cleat barfor each perforation and anchored transversely on the outer face of thebelt andextending across the respective perforations to close the saine,and a Wedgeblock carried by each cleat bar and extending through therespective perforations.

3. A belt tread for tractors comprising, an endless fabric-like beltprovided With perforations, cleat bars anchored to the belt andextending across the belt from substantially edge to edge to reinforcethe belt, a V-shaped friction block carried by each cleat bar and eX-tending through each perforation and closing the latter, and the cleatbars being adapted to carry and distribute the load to the frictionblocks.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

\ MORRIS L. BAYARD.

MINOR HARVEY.

